self-sufficient Archives

World Food Day – Are you hungry?

Today’s blog looks at the ways in which we are trying to improve hunger and malnutrition in Malawi

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Sarah’s blog 16/10/25

Today is World Food Day – are you hungry? What happens if you are hungry? Do you have food in your cupboards? Are you able to go to the shops? Most of us are fortunate enough to be able to eat every day. We might not be rich, but we have enough to be able to eat at least once every day. This World Food Day – are you hungry?

Many of the children and young people we are helping to support DO NOT have enough to eat. Many DO NOT eat every day. How can we expect them to learn and concentrate at school if they are hungry? if they are malnourished? If they cannot sleep at night because of pains in their tummies? How can we expect them to grow properly if their bodies don’t have enough nutrients? How can we expect them to thrive when their basic needs aren’t being met?

WE NEED YOUR HELP to support a community, living in extreme poverty, in rural northern Malawi, towards sustainability and self-sufficiency. Please do keep reading to see how we are helping and what you can do.

We are sending enough money to run a feeding programme once a week. It’s not enough but all we can afford whilst we are supporting a better and brighter future. We keep trying to get bigger charities involved but, unfortunately, they aren’t working with children that far north. Up to 500 children, some walking miles, some carrying younger siblings, come every week for their one substantial meal of the week. Could you spare £5 or £10 per month to support the weekly feeding programme please? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
Bright Futures Nursery is for up to 70 vulnerable preschool children who are fed at every session. This is making a big difference to their health. Again, it’s not much, but it is better than nothing. You could make a difference by making a one off donation or gifting a small monthly amount to support this project.
During sporting events, we ensure that everyone taking part receives a substantial meal and drink so they have enough energy to take part and the food and drink is part of the excitement of the day. Would you like to make a donation towards providing food at a sporting event? Which sport would you choose?
Students at Bright Futures Secondary School, which was built for vulnerable teenagers who cannot afford secondary school fees, are matched with a sponsor to help pay for their education which includes having a free school meal each day. For many of the students, this is their only meal each day. Their families can share the small amount of food they have in their homes between the rest of the family, knowing that their teenager has eaten at school. It is still only £25 per month to sponsor a young person. You could sponsor as an individual, a group of friends, a club or a business. We have new students at school waiting to be matched with a sponsor. Could this be you? Younger children, not yet at secondary school, who have a sponsor are given a monthly food parcel which helps to supplement the small amount of food they have at home. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
How about helping with feeding the children & young people at Christmas? We have already had one donation towards this. Would you like to ensure everyone has a great Christmas party with plenty of food? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
We have raised funds to plant fruit tree saplings & banana plants on Bright Futures Campus and at Chambo Primary School. These will provide future food and a source of income. However, as there are hundreds of children in need, we need to keep planting more. This is another project you could support with a donation.
Students at Bright Futures Secondary School are growing their own vegetables which they are able to eat as part of their school lunches. However, the vegetables don’t last as part of many meals, and far more need to be planted. We are raising funds to buy polytunnels to extend the growing season and the types of plants that can be grown. Is this a sustainable project you’d like to help with? you could donate via this link or email for bank details. https://donorsee.com/project/29095?share=1
We are supporting vulnerable people to set up Agribusiness Groups. Through hard work, small groups of people are able to grow crops and sell them and reinvest their money into their business. There are three groups already and we would like to set up another two groups. Again, you can give via this link https://donorsee.com/project/27241?share=1 or by emailing for bank details.

Those are eight ways we are working in partnership with the people we are supporting. It’s better than nothing. It’s better than it was. But it is still not enough. With your help, with your £5 or £10 or sponsorship of a young person, we can and will keep Changing Lives (in) Malawi.

So, on World Food Day, are you hungry? What are you having for your dinner? Can you spare a thought and a small amount of money for the hundreds of children living in extreme poverty for whom we are trying to support to have a brighter future? You can make a difference to a child that you don’t know and will never meet by supporting one of our projects. As we are volunteers, you know every penny goes to the projects you support.

This World Food Day, let’s share with those who need our help. Thank you, Sarah x

To sponsor a teenage girl please click here International Day of the Girl Child there are also a few boys waiting for support with their education.

Some of the younger children being fed at the weekly feeding programme

Some of the happy children at a Christmas Party

One of the agribusiness groups working hard in their field

Planting bananas at Chambo Primary School

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School planting sweet potato vines as part of their Agriculture lesson, providing them with education, food and skills for life.

Independence Day in Malawi

It’s Independence Day in Malawi. Here are some facts and a couple of ways that you can help students living in extreme poverty become independent and self-sufficient.

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Sarah’s blog 6/7/25

Happy Independence Day to all of our friends in Malawi. Here are a few facts about Malawi;

Malawi’s Independence Day is celebrated on 6th July.
It is their 61st Independence Day today.
Malawi gained independence from the United Kingdom.
Malawi was previously known as Nyasaland prior to gaining independence.
Dr Hastings Banda played a significant role in leading the country to independence and later became the first president of Malawi.
Independence Day is a national holiday in Malawi marked with celebrations.
The flag of Malawi features three horizontal stripes of black, red and green, with a red sun in the black stripe, symbolizing the rising sun of freedom and the unity of the country.
Malawi is sometimes referred to as the “Warm Heart of Africa” due to the friendly nature of its people.
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, with a high percentage of its population living in poverty. Over half the population lives in poverty, this is much higher in rural locations.

We are pleased that, with the help of our supporters, we are making a difference to the hundreds of children and their families who live in extreme poverty. Our end goal is always self-sufficiency and sustainability. The difficulty is that children need feeding now which we have to address as well as supporting the community towards self-sufficiency. The situation is extremely serious in the rural far north of Malawi and most children and young people are suffering from malnutrion. All are hungry. No children are fed in primary schools in the far north of Malawi.

Through educational projects like our School Literacy Project, where we collect and send books to primary schools which hardly have any resources, exam pass rates at the end of primary school are rising. The young people know that education is their way out of poverty and are keen to learn.

We also match vulnerable young people with sponsors to help pay for their secondary education at Bright Futures Secondary School. Secondary education has to be paid for in Malawi and none of these young people would have been able to attend. Thanks to our supporters, we have built BFSS which is bringing hope for a brighter future for young people living in extreme poverty. We are appealing for more sponsors to join us in supporting new students going into S1 in September. It is only £25 p/m per student. If you would like to help a young person gain a secondary education please get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

At Bright Futures Secondary School, students study agriculture as a core subject and they are learning skills for life through practical agricultural lessons. They are growing their own fruit and vegetables to help supplement their free school lunch that they get each day. This is a really important meal as, for most, it is their only meal each day. Their families can share the small amount of food they have amongst the other members of the family, knowing that young person has already been fed.

We are appealing for help to buy more fruit tree saplings for future food and for a sustainable income as excess fruit can be sold at the market. We are also appealing for money to buy extra gardening tools so that all students are able to join in with practical agricultural lessons instead of just having to wait and take turns. Also we are hoping that, if we can provide funds for carpentry tools, then students can learn how to make simple furniture.

Will you help these students towards independence please? They are keen to work hard to help themselves. They just need a helping hand then they can be independent and proud of their achievements.

This is the link to help buy more fruit tree saplings; https://donorsee.com/project/27708?share=1

This is the link to help buy carpentry and agricultural tools https://donorsee.com/project/27684 or you can email me for our bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far. If you can give a little then it would be very much appreciated by us and the students at Bright Futures Secondary School. Please sign up to receive my blogs and you can follow us on Facebook to keep up to date with the most recent news. Together we can help a community towards independence and self-sufficiency. Thanks so much, Sarah x

A lovely photo taken at Chambo Primary School when boxes of books were donated recently as part of our School Literacy Project.

New books donated to Kalanga Primary School as part of our School Literacy Project. Literacy rates are increasing now they have more books to read.

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School have planted banana tubers.

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School queuing up for their free school lunch. For most of them this is their only meal each day. It also helps their families to share their small amount of food between the remaining family members and not worry about including the students as they have already had a substantial and nutritious meal.

Advent Calendar – highlighting projects & children – day 8

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Sarah’s blog 08/12/23

For 8th December we are highlighting agriculture and skills for life.

The orphans and other vulnerable children whom we help to support learn life skills at the Foundation. They learn to grow their own food and these vegetables are used at the feeding programme in addition to maize and beans. However, with 500 children to feed, the harvest doesn’t last long.

Fruit tree saplings have been planted to ensure future food security and an income through selling surplus fruit. Many more fruit trees are needed so we would be grateful if you would purchase some fruit tree saplings. It only costs £10 for 4 saplings. Please help.

Levison, who is the director of the Foundation, is a trained teacher. In addition to that he also has a degree in Agriculture so he is able to pass on his knowledge to the young people.

Pictured here is Timothy who really enjoys helping with the crops. Timothy even appointed himself as an unofficial supervisor to some of the younger children showing them how to do the weeding and digging. Timothy is an orphan and lives with his grandmother. He is now in first year at Bright Futures Secondary School. I sponsor Timothy and without support he would not have been able to afford to pay the fees required for secondary school in Malawi. Timothy’s grandmother is a caring lady and they have a girl living with them who was orphaned and had no extended family to care for her. If you would like to sponsor a young person so they have the opportunity of education and a brighter future please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com If you’d like to buy some fruit tree saplings then please donate at https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a Thank you for helping to support Timothy and other vulnerable children like him. Thanks, Sarah x

Giving for a Sustainable Future

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Sarah’s blog 27/11/23

Tomorrow (Tuesday 28/11/23) is known as Giving Tuesday. It started in America, being the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving Weekend. People began donating money, time or talent to charities and other good causes as a way of giving and being thankful for what they had in their lives. Giving Tuesday has grown over the years and is now a recognised day of giving to good causes.

So, this leads me onto our new fundraiser and hoping that you might give to our charity and the good causes we are supporting. Costs keep rising in Malawi and food is becoming more scarce. Hundreds of children are relying on us to feed them a substantial, nutritious meal once a week. That isn’t enough, but it’s all we can do until we can get others partnering with us to provide more.

Food – Please can you help us to keep feeding 500 orphans and other vulnerable children each week? A one off donation would be really helpful or you could set up a monthly donation of £5 or £10 if you’d prefer. https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

Fruit Trees – We want the community we support to be self-sufficient. They want that too. Can you please help us? Fruit tree saplings have already been planted a couple of years ago and we want to plant more. This will provide future food for the orphans and other vulnerable children as well as some fruit being sold and bringing in an income. Planting trees and bushes also helps prevent soil erosion during the heavy rains and is good for the planet. Four fruit tree saplings cost £10. Will you support this project please? If you would like to give this as an alternative gift at Christmas or for someone’s birthday then please let me know and I can send a gift card on your behalf. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

Pig Project – At Bright Futures Secondary School Agricultural Lessons are part of the core curriculum. The second year students, along with their teacher, are setting up a Pig Project where they will learn to care for and breed pigs. Some of the future piglets will be given to vulnerable people in the community and some piglets will be sold. This income will go back into making the school self-sufficient as they will be able to purchase exercise books and other equipment they need. A piglet costs £45 to purchase. Would you like to buy a piglet? This could make a good alternative gift to buy for the person who has everything! I can send a gift card on your behalf stating what you have bought. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

Sewing – We sent some hand turn sewing machines to Malawi and some of the older girls who have left school have been learning how to make reusable sanitary towels for all who needed them, ensuring all girls do not miss a week of school each month and, therefore, are receiving the same amount of schooling as the boys. Now, we would like to set up two or three of these girls in business so they can start making school dresses and other clothes to sell. Would you like to ensure these girls have a sustainable and better future? £50 will buy fabric that they need. I can send a gift card if you decide to buy this as an alternative Christmas gift. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

Education – Secondary Education in Malawi needs to be paid for. All of the young people at Bright Futures Secondary School would not have been able to afford to continue their education without help and support. Could you pay for a student to attend school for a month please? It costs £25. Or you could become a sponsor to a student for £25 p/m. These vulnerable young people, many of whom are orphans, deserve a better and brighter future. If you would like to pay for this option as part of an alternative Christmas gift, please do let me know and I can send a card to the recipient on your behalf. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

As you can see, we cannot do this alone. It is always about teamwork. Please will you join our team to help support these children as we work towards a sustainable and self-sufficient future for them? They deserve every opportunity to be the best they can be. They deserve choices and chances. They deserve to know they are important and that people care about them. If you would like to support one of the above projects in particular then please do put that project against your name when making a donation, otherwise we will allocate funding between the projects. Many thanks for your continued support. Together we can make a difference and continue Changing Lives Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x Donate here: https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a